10 Direct Mail Myths Debunked

Myths can sidetrack your marketing efforts and keep you spinning your wheels. Be on the lookout for these common misconceptions regarding direct mail.

Direct Mail Myths Debunked

1. Direct Mail is Dead.

Direct mail is still a driving force behind a successful business.

As more companies look to online communication, you have a better chance of standing out in the mailbox. In addition, direct mail paves the way for the recipient to fully engage with your content on their schedule instead of being a quick (and annoying) interruption to their day.

2. Online Ads Are Better than Direct Mail.

Online ads indeed help businesses succeed, but what is also true is that direct mail helps drive traffic to your online site. Without direct mail, people tend to click away. Direct mail is permanent and begs for attention in the palm of your hand.

3. You Can’t Target the Right People with Direct Mail.

It is even easier to target the right customers with the new lists and technology. You can decide what ages you want to reach, the location of homes, gender, household income, and even if they typically respond to direct mail.

4. You Can’t Track Direct Mail.

You can track direct mail in a variety of ways.

One way is to have a designated email or phone line that only goes to that direct mail campaign. Or, offer a specific coupon or coupon code that corresponds with your campaign. You can even get personal with personalized URLs or PURLs that provide a unique web address for each recipient’s direct mail piece.

5. There Isn’t Enough Room to Tell Your Story in Direct Mail.

The great thing is that you can work together with your online presence by including a QR code, a website, or an email.

You can get your main point across in your direct mail piece and then continue to tell the whole story online. Or you can use a beautifully designed brochure that offers more room for print. Not only that, but people can hang onto it much longer, and they can easily pass it to a friend.

6. Email is More Effective than Direct Mail.

Did you know that 80% of direct mail recipients take immediate action on the mail they receive versus 45% of email recipients? Those statistics are powerful when evaluating the efficacy of direct mail.

7. Young People Don’t Respond to Direct Mail.

Studies have shown that 95% of 18- to 29-year-olds respond positively to direct mail. That’s a great way to reach those used to being bombarded by online ads.

8. Direct Mail is Forgettable.

Direct mail yields a 70% higher recall rate than other advertising, showing how memorable this is for customers.

The fact that they need to tangibly hold the item before tossing it shows that the message sticks in their heads easier than just clicking away.

9. I Only Need to Advertise Online.

You need both digital marketing and direct mail.

According to IWCO Direct, cross-channel marketing can increase your response rates by 35%. The important thing is that it works together to serve your purpose: increased sales.

10. Email Marketing Works Better Than Direct Mail.

Forbes states that direct mail achieves a 4.4% response rate, compared to 0.12% for email, proving that direct mail is essential in your marketing efforts.

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